The holidays are a great time to promote your business, but it can be expensive to do so. Think about it. Bigger and more established brands have access to more money needed to promote their products to the masses.
But how could small businesses compete?
Here are some low-cost ways to get your message out there. Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
- Create engaging and valuable content so more people will be inclined to do business with you and buy their last-minute holiday gifts than your competitors.
- Take advantage of digital technology by registering on Google My Business and having a constant online presence on different social media platforms.
- Having the right eCommerce software to facilitate the holiday buzz and traffic is essential to promoting and growing your online business.
5 Holiday Marketing Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank
Think outside the box this holiday season and consider these simple yet effective ways of promoting your business without breaking the bank.
1. Share What You Already Know Through Content
Starting a business means you know what you’re selling, why you’re selling, and to whom you’ll be selling. That’s more than enough knowledge to create valuable content that the audience can resonate with on a personal level.
Content is, and always will be, the KING of digital marketing!
Why is that?
There’s a 70% growth rate in searches for Filipinos looking for online alternatives to offline experiences. Keywords like book delivery, self-care products, and cake delivery are among the top popular Google Philippines searches over the past years.
If you don’t have content, consumers can’t find you when they search on Google.
Also, creating content serves different purposes:
- Educate, update, and position your products/services
- Empower, encourage, and inspire
- Entertain and engage with your audience
- Connect, empathize, and address concerns
But whatever purpose your content serves—it all boils down to GIVING VALUE. When your customers find value in your content, they’ll be inclined to do business with you more than your competitors.
In order to promote your business during the holiday season, you should create engaging content through blog posts and case studies on how your products or services can benefit people. You can also use video testimonials or images.
Holidays are a great time as any to start developing marketing strategies that will help increase your website traffic and connect with your audience better.
2. Leverage Google & Large-Scale Social Media Platforms
Most Filipino consumers spend their days glued to their gadgets, browsing for the next big thing. It’s no surprise that digital marketing has become the most effective way to promote in this day and age.
The good news is that you don’t have to cover every platform. Know where your target customers are most active and set up a profile there.
Facebook and Instagram are good places to start if you’re a social seller or a small business with no online presence yet.
Depending on your branding and target market, other platforms to consider are YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok. Try these out and see what works best for your business.
| Pro-Tip! Register on Google My Business |
This is something a lot of businesses usually overlook. But if you want to gain customer trust, registering on Google My Business is the way to do it.
The holidays will be a busy period for online shoppers who don’t have the time to take risks buying from businesses without branding and limited online presence.
If you still have no online presence for your business—now is the time to do so. Prosperna’s eCommerce software is here to help you leverage your social media platforms.
3. Expand Your Network and Connections
Take advantage of influencer marketing and be proactive in approaching other brands and influential people who are aligned with your brand to help get the word out.
Of the millions of sponsored (paid) content on the internet, shout-outs by influencers given pro bono (for free) are more effective. Why? Because customers see these as more organic and natural.
So how do you find the right people?
Join communities in your local area and within your industry to make real connections with thought leaders who can help you grow along the way.
Take advantage of virtual networking events and forums to connect with other professionals. Socialize with them and widen your circle.
Thanks to social media, it’s much easier to connect. But make sure that you’re doing it the right way:
- When connecting with someone, be sure to introduce yourself first.
- Let them know WHY you want to connect with them. (And that is NOT to sell, folks!)
- Remember the GOLDEN RULE: Give value before you make the ask.
4. Let the People Do It for You!
Speaking of shoutouts, word-of-mouth referrals from “regular folks” remain to be the most effective form of advertising.
It’s so successful because people TRUST customer testimonials, especially from people they know, more than brands or companies. When you share reviews on your website or social media profiles, you are showing proof that your customers were served well.
In turn, you can convince new potential customers to try your products so they can also experience the same satisfaction as your other customers.
How can you encourage your customers to leave a review? You can:
- Ask for feedback immediately after completing a service, so customer satisfaction is still fresh on their mind.
- Introduce an incentive in the form of holiday contests, giveaways, or small freebies in exchange for reviews about your business.
The more user-generated content you have, the better. This helps promote your business during the holidays and increases your chance of having people shop on your online store for last-minute holiday gifts.
5. Make Use of SMS & Email
Since the most popular gadget today is the smartphone, you can utilize SMS and email to reach your customers directly.
Ask for your customer’s contact information by gathering business cards. Even in the age of digital communication, business cards are still an essential tool for making connections.
For brick-and-mortar stores, it can be a valuable source of leads and an opportunity to stay engaged with your customers even after they leave your store.
This is possible through SMS and email marketing. Not only does SMS marketing has a 98% open rate, but customers can also press links that redirect them to your online store so they can complete purchases on their smartphones.
And contrary to popular belief—email marketing is not yet dead. You can share existing content on your website or social media, and communicate with customers in a personalized and formal way.
Through Prosperna’s built-in SMS and email marketing tools, you can easily launch your SMS and email marketing campaigns and send special offers, new product updates, upcoming sales, or events to your customers regularly.
You don’t even have to spend a lot of money on this. Start small by sending them holiday greetings and discount vouchers on their next order so they will want to buy from you again.
Your Online Store Is Key!
Having an eCommerce website glues everything that I shared in this article. Right off the bat, you can save a lot of costs!
- Having a blog to post marketable content and share on social media.
- An official page where your customers can learn more about your business.
- Your own platform where referrals can direct their audience.
- One place to accept online orders and collect contact information for campaigns.
If you want a better customer experience and marketing performance, then optimize your website across ALL devices. You can do this by using our responsive web design service that is fully customizable in minutes with no technical knowledge required!
Take advantage of technology—like what Charles Herrera of Nature2Nurture did—and grow your online business with Prosperna. Prosperna’s All-In-One eCommerce software enables you to create your online store without breaking the bank and the need for a developer.
FAQs
Why is holiday marketing important to a business?
Holiday marketing is important because it brings outstanding discounts and gifts to customers and concurrently, rewards your business’ efforts with significant revenue and increased reputation.
When should I start marketing for the holidays?
You can start working on holiday marketing campaigns three to four months ahead of the holidays.
Final Thoughts
All of these holiday marketing ideas go back to this: Give your customers a memorable experience with your brand!
While it’s in your best interest to try all of these strategies, I recommend starting with what you think is within your ability and gradually adding the others.
So #ProsperNation, which of these strategies will you implement this holiday season? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Prosperna, Your Partner to eCommerce Success
Prosperna is an all-in-one eCommerce platform for Philippine businesses. We are on a mission to empower 100,000 Philippine MSMEs with simple and affordable eCommerce software.
In fact, we are super passionate about helping Philippine MSMEs we’re giving you a free account forever!
Want to expand your reach and get more sales this holiday season? Create your free-forever Prosperna account now.
